WHL makes neck guards mandatory
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/11/2023 (881 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
In the wake of the death of American hockey player Adam Johnson in the United Kingdom, neck guards are about to become mandatory in the Western Hockey League.
The WHL announced Wednesday afternoon the equipment will be a requirement for all on-ice activities starting Friday. Neck guards were already mandatory for players in the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
The Brandon Wheat Wheat Kings met the visiting Prince George Cougars last night — the game ended after deadline — and neither club was wearing the extra level of protection just yet.
Prince George Cougars forward Koehn Ziemmer (13) protects the puck against Brandon Wheat Kings defenceman Andrei Maliavan (44) during first period Western Hockey League action at Westoba Place on Wednesday evening. Ziemmer ended up with an assist on the play on his team's first goal. The league announced Wednesday that players are mandated as of Friday to wear neck guards during all on-ice activities.(Perry Bergson/The Brandon Sun)
The league said neck guards might be hard to find, noting in their release it “anticipates challenges in delivery of protective neck guard equipment from licensed suppliers due to increased demand.” Johnson died Saturday in a game with the Nottingham Panthers of the Elite Ice Hockey League.
Following the accident, the English Ice Hockey Association recommended all players wear an approved neck guard for the rest of this year, and made them a requirement starting in 2024.
“It is unacceptable for any player to lose their life while playing sport,” a statement from EIHA read. “Our responsibility is not only to avert the recurrence of such a heart-breaking accident, but also to pre-emptively address other foreseeable incidents.”
The game story from Wednesday evening can be found at brandonsun.com
» The Brandon Sun
Prince George Cougars forward Koehn Ziemmer (13) tries to break between Brandon Wheat Kings forwards Caleb Hadland (10) and Rylen Roersma (18) during first period Western Hockey League action at Westoba Place on Wednesday evening. The Brandon duo were able to knock the puck away. (Perry Bergson/The Brandon Sun)